Traction splint



Nov. 10, '1942.

L. E. GOODWJN TRACTION SPLIN'I" F iled Au 1, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 10, 1942. 1.. E. eoonwm TRACTION SPLINT Filed Aug. 1, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 LeomEGooelwim liflhh l i atented Nov. 10, 1942 aUN l. TE!) 1 STATES PATENT OFFICE v T l r I 2,301,534

TRACTION SPLINT Leon E. Goodwin, Monticello, Maine Application August 1, 1941, Serial No. 405,105 (Cl. 128-84) fi Claims. This invention relates to an improved traction splint. e

In view of the great number of traflic accidents occurring daily on the highways of the country, the demand fora simple and yet entirely efiicient traction splint suitable for'such emergencies has been steadily increasing while also, a new demand for such a splint has recently arisen by reason of the great impetus currently beinggiven to the spread of instruction in first-aid work.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a splint which will combine adaptability and efficiency with structural simplicity, and which may be readily applied by the average person familiar with emergency technique, such as highway patrolmen or policemen, or others instructed in first-aid work.

A further object of the invention is to provide a splint which may be easily and quickly applied by a single person, say to an arm or a leg, which may be used either upon a right or .left arm or right or left leg, and which will firmly support the injured member with the broken ends of the bone aligned.

Still another object of the invention isto provide asplintwherein the extensor frame of the device may be quickly elongated to obtain a rough adjustment to the length of the'member being trussed, wherein means will be provided for automatically locking the frame in adjusted position, and wherein a traction screw may then be adjusted to pull on the broken member and thus pull the parts of the broken bone into line and prevent the broken ends thereof from injuring the v:flesh.

A further object of the invention is to provide a splint which may be readily collapsed and which may be conveniently carried as a part of a firstaidkit. 7

And the invention seeks, as a still further object, to provide a splint well adapted for hospital use. Other and incidental objects of the invention will appear during the course of the following description, and in the drawings:

Figure lis a perspective view showing my improved splint applied to the left leg.

lit) an extensor frame which, as particularly seen in Figure '5, embodies a more or less U-shaped body member having .side bars I 0, and fitting tightly over the bightbetween said bars is a reinforcing sleeve H cooperating :with said bight to provide a yoke l2 rigidly connecting the bars. As will be observed, the body member of the frame is preferably of tubular construction.

Slidable upon the yoke 12 is a substantially vshaped stirrup l3 having diverging sides 14 and, as seen in Figure '4, said sides are slotted at their ends to provide lateral terminals 15 straddling the "sides of the yoke. Formed in the sides I4 of the stirrup are pairs of aligned openings l6, and extending between the sides is a brace I! in which is preferably provided an opening 18 through which a foot bandage may be secured. Engaged through the bight' of the yoke I2 is a'traction screw l9 swiveled to the stirrup l 3, and, if deemed necessary,the bight of'the yoke may be flattened to receive the screw. As will be perceived, the screw maybe adjusted for shifting the stirrup longitudinally of the yoke.

Slidably fitting over the side bars I-Oof the extensor frame are tubular extension bars 20 provided near their inner ends with lateral foot rests 2|, and formed in each of the'bars 20, throughout the major portion of the length thereof, is a series of openings 22. Pivoted to the free ends of the bars 20, as particularlyseen in Figure 2, is an arcuateend bar 23, which may be detachable, and overlying said bar is a cushioning sleeve 24, which may be of rubber. Extending through the sleeve is a strap 25 of approved length.

Formed on the free ends of the bars I0 are pairs of ears 26, and pivoted between said ears are vpaw-ls 21, each provided with a reduced, rounded tip 28 beneath which is a shoulder 29. Secured to each of the pawls at a point above the pivotal center thereof is a spring 30 engaged at its rear end in a suitable aperture 3| in the adjacent bar 10. Thus, the springs 30 will normally swing the free ends of the pawlsupwardly so that the tips 28 thereof will ride against the upper inher surfaces of the bars 20 at the series of openings 22. l

Formed in theyoke 12 near the ends of the sleeve II, as seen in Figure 6, are L-shaped slots 32, and extending within the side bars ID are rods 33 connected at their forward ends to the pawls 21 at points below the pivotal centers thereof and provided at their rear ends with lateral terminals 34 freely. received through said slots. Fixed to the upper ends of said terminals are buttons 35.

Accordingly, the buttons may be pushed rearwardly for locking the. :pawls 2:! downwardly,

when terminals Steamy-be :engaged in the lateral portions of the slots 32 for lockingithe pawls retracted.

Normally, the pawls 21 will ride against the Figure 1, the bar 23 is disposed beneath the leg 'one end and one of the bars inner surfaces of the bars 20, as previously described, and will frictionally prevent or retard forward slippage of said bars, while, however, the bars may be quickly adjusted forwardly to elongate the frame. Subsequent rearward thrust on the bars will then permit, the tips 28 of the pawls to project through adjacent openings 22 of said bars when the shoulders 29 of the pawls will lock the bars against rearward movement. In this connection, however, attention is directedto the fact that even though the bars v2i) are locked by the pawls in any given position against retraction, said bars may, nevertheless, be quickly" i shifted further forwardly if so desired, when the upper inner surfaces of the bars will coact with the rounded tips of thepawls for depressing the pawls and freeing the bars 20 for movement to additionally elongate the frame.

Assuming a leg to be broken,

Cit

as suggested in at the crotch, when the strap: 25 is buckled over 20 the leg to firmly support the frame to extend at opposite sides of the leg. The operator may then sit straddle of the frame at-the foot of the injured person and firmly bandage the foot in the stirrup I3, a bandage being conventionally shown at 36. This done, the operator may then place his feet against the rests 2| of the bars 20 and by holding the yoke l2 with the hand and pushing with the feet, the bars 20 may be quickly adjusted forwardly to obtain some pull on the injured leg when the pawls 21 will, as previously described; automatically lock the bars 20 in adjusted position. By 'then'turning' the screw l9 to shift'the stirrup l3 final traction in desired degree may be readily exerted on the leg. As will'be perceived, the stirrup l3 will prevent the foot from turning-and, if so desired, appropriate bandages, as conventionally shown at 31, may then be tied about the frame and leg for firmly supporting the leg against movement.

In Figure 7 of the drawings I have shown the device applied for trussing afractured hip. As will be observed, the bar 23 is detached at 20 is adjusted to extend above or near the waist, when the strap 25 is secured about the body." Traction'is then applied to the leg in the manner previously described, bandages being conventionally shown at 38. 6'0

t has been discovered that the present invention is not only well adapted'for emergency use but is also adapted for hospital use. Often, in hospital procedure, a-pin is inserted through the ankle bone in order to obtain traction on a broken leg. In Figure 4 of the drawingsv l have shown such a pin at 39. This pin i'sselectively engageable through the aligned pairs of openings it of the stirrup [3 so that when the stirrup is adjusted, traction will be had directly on the bone 6 of the injured leg.

To collapse the device, it is merely necessary to push the buttons 35 rearwardly and lock the pawls 21 retracted, as previously described, when the bars 20 may be freely shifted on the bars '65 IE] to abut the ends of the sleeve ll. As will be observed, the pawls 21, springs 30 and rods 33 are all enclosed so that they may not catchin the clothing or injure the hands while, also, said parts will be protected from moisture and dirt 7'0 such as would cause clogging thereof when the device is in use out-of-doors for emergencypurposes.- I

ings therein,

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A traction splint including a frame having a body member provided with side bars, extension bars slidable upon the side bars and freely adjustable forwardly for elongating the frame, said extension bars being provided with spaced openpawls pivoted upon the ends of the side bars and engageable in said openings selectively for locking the extension bars against re traction, and rods connected to said pawls to extend rearwardly within the side bars and provided externally of said side bars with buttons manually engageable for rocking the pawls to inactive position.

2. A traction splint including a frame having a body member provided with side bars, tubular extension bars telescopically fitting the side bars and adjustable for elongating the frame, and means carried by the side bars to coact-with the extension bars for automatically locking the extension bars against retraction and enclosed by the extension bars to be shielded thereby to operate automatically withoutinterference externally of the frame.

3. A traction splint including a frame having a body member provided with tubular side bars, tubular extension bars telescopically fitting over the side bars and adjustable for elongating-the frame, means carried by the side bars to coast with the extension bars for automatically locking the extension bars against retraction and enclosed by the extension bars to be shielded thereby to operate automatically without interference externally of the frame, and means extending within the side bars to be enclosed thereby and including elements externally 'of said side bars manually engageable for shifting said looking means to inactive position.

4. A traction splint including a frame having a body member provided with side bars, tubular extension bars telescopically fitting the side bars and adjustable for elongating the frame, and pawls pivoted upon the ends of the side bars to be received within the extension bars and movable to engage the extension bars for locking the extension bars against retraction.

5. A traction splint including a frame having a body member provided with side bars, tubular extension bars telescopically fitting the side bars and adjustable for elongating the frame, and spring pressed pawls pivoted upon the endsof the side bars to be received within the extension bars and urged to engage the extension bars-for automatically locking the extension bars against retraction. 1

6. A traction splint including a frame having a body member provided with side bars, tubular extension bars telescopically fitting the side bars and adjustable for elongating the frame, spring pressed pawls pivoted upon the ends of the side bars to be received within the extension bars and urged to engage the extension bars for automatically locking the extension bars against retraction, rods connected to said pawls to extend within the side bars, and buttons carried by the rods externally of the side bars and manually engageable for rocking the pawls to inactive position.

v 1 LEON E. GOODWIN. 

